EPA Superfund Site

JACOBS SMELTER

UT | EPA ID UT0002391472

About this site’s exposure pathways: As of September 2025, the Jacobs Smelter Superfund Site is considered "Current Human Exposure Not Under Control" (HENC) because human exposure to lead and arsenic through inhalation or ingestion of contaminated soil is possible. This exposure pathway is considered unacceptable based on EPA risk-based criteria because there are concentrations of lead and arsenic above levels considered to be safe for residential use in Operable Unit (OU) 6 (former Chicago and Carson Buzzo Smelters area). Currently, the planned activities to address this pathway include a Remedial Investigation⁄Feasibility Study (RI⁄FS) for OU6. EPA plans to conduct this additional investigative work at OU6 to assess the potential ecological and human health exposures. Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) and EPA currently anticipate that the RI⁄FS will be substantially complete in 2026.
The Jacobs Smelter site is a state-lead NPL site. Cleanups in OU1 (former Jacobs Smelter area) and OU3 (Stockton Rail Yard) have been completed and those OUs have been deleted from the NPL. Cleanup has also been completed at OU4 (Kennecott Parcel) and the region will be proposing to delete this OU in the future. OU2, which consists of the Rawhide Ranchettes and B&B Subdivision residential areas near the Waterman Smelter area, has also been remediated. The most recent remedial action effort at OU2 also included two areas of OU5 (Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Parcel). A third area of OU5, the Northeast Parcel, was redelegated to the BLM. Contamination on that parcel will be addressed by the BLM under a removal action.
Although removal actions and remedial actions for soil cleanups have been completed for many residential properties and lots exceeding the lead cleanup level, the EPA has provided an Updated Soil Lead Guidance for CERCLA sites and RCRA Corrective Action Facilities (Updated Lead Guidance) on January 17, 2024. This has lowered the recommended regional screening level for lead-contaminated soil to 200 mg⁄kg for residential soil-lead sites and the EPA is evaluating how this change may impact the cleanups that were completed and determine if additional investigation and⁄or cleanup is needed. Based on the Updated Lead Guidance, the EPA will begin planning and potentially undertaking activities to collect sufficient residential soil and other site data to make an evaluation to determine the presence and potential extent of soils that may present current and future-potential exposure risk to sensitive populations. While implementation of the Updated Lead Guidance may take several years, the EPA will share information on planned activities and results as they become available. At this time, the EPA currently anticipates that Human Exposure will be under control in June 2032 upon completion of remedial action at OU6.